The aetiology of anorexia nervosa (AN) presents a puzzle for researchers. Recent research has sought to understand the behavioural and neural mechanisms of these patients’ persistent choice of calorie restriction. This scoping review aims to map the literature on the contribution of habit-based learning to food restriction in AN. PRISMA-ScR guidelines were adopted. The search strategy was applied to seven databases and to grey literature. A total of 35 studies were included in this review. The results indicate that the habit-based learning model has gained substantial attention in current research, employing neuroimaging methods, scales, and behavioural techniques. Food choices were strongly associated with dorsal striatum activity, and habitual food restriction based on the self-report restriction index was associated with clinical impairment in people chronically ill with restricting AN. High-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (HF-rTMS) and Regulating Emotions and Changing Habits (REaCH) have emerged as potential treatments. Future research should employ longitudinal studies to investigate the time required for habit-based learning and analyse how developmental status, such as adolescence, influences the role of habits in the progression and severity of diet-related illnesses. Ultimately, seeking effective strategies to modify persistent dietary restrictions controlled by habits remains essential.

O distanciamento social adotado para controle da COVID-19 obrigou Instituições de Ensino Superior (IES) a aderirem a novas estratégias para realização das atividades acadêmicas e muitas pesquisas passaram a ser realizadas em ambientes virtuais. O objetivo deste artigo é descrever os aspectos metodológicos e principais desafios enfrentados para a execução do projeto COCASa, um estudo de coorte on-line sobre comportamento alimentar e saúde mental de docentes e discentes de IES do Brasil. O estudo foi iniciado em julho de 2020 e acompanhará os participantes por dois anos. Adotou-se amostragem não probabilística estratificada proporcional com a utilização de escalas, de inquérito alimentar e de questões estruturadas elaboradas pela equipe do projeto. Entre os participantes do baseline, 4.074 discentes e 2.210 docentes iniciaram o questionário e, respectivamente, 76,8% e 85,1% finalizaram o preenchimento. Em ambos os grupos, a maior participação foi de mulheres (docentes: 66,7% e discentes: 76,2%) e residentes nas regiões Nordeste (docentes: 37% e discentes: 50,9%) e Sul (docentes: 27,1% e discentes: 22,5%) do Brasil. A pesquisa on-line amplia a possibilidade de recrutamento de participantes e alcança limites territoriais com menor demanda por financiamento. Durante a pandemia da COVID-19, o uso do ambiente virtual tornou-se uma estratégia viável e acessível para a manutenção das atividades de pesquisa, configurando-se como uma provável tendência a ser adotada pela comunidade científica.

O ganho de peso não intencional está emergindo como uma complicação da pandemia da COVID-19. Considerando a popularização no uso de dados da Internet como parte integrante da informática em saúde, os mesmos podem ser úteis na análise e previsão do comportamento humano. Este estudo analisou as tendências de buscas de usuários brasileiros sobre estratégias para perda de peso. Foi conduzido um estudo infodemiológico, retrospectivo e quantitativo, que examinou dados da ferramenta Google Trends Search Application entre março/2020 a agosto/2021. Os resultados revelaram que a busca por temas relacionados à perda de peso foi expressiva durante os 17 meses pesquisados, em quase todo o país. Os estados que mais se destacaram nas buscas foram Acre, Piauí e Santa Catarina. Em contrapartida, os usuários do Amazonas, Distrito Federal, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul e Rio de Janeiro demonstraram menor interesse na temática abordada. As estratégias de emagrecimento com maior popularidade foram dieta e jejum, enquanto exercício físico e remédios para emagrecer apresentaram baixos volumes relativos de buscas (VRBs). Visando a investigação dos demais indicadores e termos de interesse em saúde, novos estudos sobre o tema são necessários para que possam auxiliar na compreensão do cenário corrente e futuro, em âmbito nacional e global, para as questões que envolvem alimentação e nutrição veiculadas na internet.

Obesity is a global health problem causing millions of deaths from noncommunicable diseases. Individuals with obesity are also at increased risk for mental disorders, such as depression (DEP) and binge eating (BED). The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an inpatient lifestyle-based intervention program for the treatment of obesity in persons with and without DEP and BED. This is a retrospective cohort study involving patients enrolled in a specialized inpatient hospital facility for the treatment of obesity. Participants underwent a long-term program composed by low-calorie diet and intensive lifestyle changes. Data from 997 adult patients were included. Partici-pants were divided into 4 groups: depression group (DG), binge-eating disorder group (BG), depression and binge-eating disorder group (DBG), and a control group (CG). Anthropometric data were obtained at admission and discharge. Most participants were females, sedentary and were hospitalized for more than 3 months. Patients with DEP, BED and with DEP+BED presented equally significant improvements when compared to the CG. Treatment duration was positively associated with reductions in weight and BMI in all patients. In conclusion, patients with DEP, BED with DEP+BED presented equally significant reductions in BMI and waist circumference when com-pared to the CG, and reduction in body weight was directly associated with the length of the intervention.

Obesity is a global health problem causing millions of deaths from noncommunicable diseases. Individuals with obesity are also at increased risk for mental disorders, such as depression (DEP) and binge eating (BED). The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an inpatient lifestyle-based intervention program for the treatment of obesity in persons with and without DEP and BED. This is a retrospective cohort study involving patients enrolled in a specialized inpatient hospital facility for the treatment of obesity. Participants underwent a long-term program composed of a low-calorie diet and intensive lifestyle changes. Data from 997 adult patients were included. Participants were divided into four groups: a depression group (DG), binge-eating disorder group (BG), depression and binge-eating disorder group (DBG), and a control group (CG). Anthropometric data were obtained at admission and discharge. Most participants were females, were sedentary, and were hospitalized for more than 3 months. No between-group differences were observed among DEP, BED, DEP + BED, and CG. Treatment duration was positively associated with reductions in weight and BMI in all patients. In conclusion, patients with DEP and BED with DEP + BED presented significant reductions in BMI and waist circumference, as well as the CG, and reduction in body weight was directly associated with the length of the intervention.